Patent GB-1099207-A (GB)
Title: Brick hacking machines
IPC: B65G57/26
Filed: 1966-06-20
Abstract: 1,099,207. Endless conveyers; brick stacking apparatus. PEARNE & LACY MACHINE CO. Inc. June 20, 1966 [Aug. 11, 1965], No. 27467/66. Headings B8A, B8C and B8H. [Also in Division B5] In a brick making process (see Division B5, and Fig. 1 (not shown)) an extruded rod of material is cut into lengths and conveyed on an endless belt first to a station at which the lengths are stacked in pairs and then to a cutting station of which the paired lengths are pressed through a wired cutting frame. The series of bricks thus formed are fed in batches to a table upon which they are arranged in a spaced configuration and are finally transferred to a truck for transport to a firing kiln. The mechanism 14 for forming the paired stacks comprises a pivotable vacuum table 16 and a pusher mechanism 41. In operation a gate 44 carried by mechanism 41 is pivoted to a position over the belt 12 so that a length 13 carried thereby is arrested. The length is then transferred by the pusher mechanism on to the table and the mechanism is withdrawn to arrest a second length. Simultaneous to this the table is pivoted to an inverted position above the belt so that when the second length has been arrested the table is de-actuated and the first length is deposited on said second length to form the pair. The gate 44 is then retracted and the pair moves with the belt 12 to the cutting station where it is arrested by a second gate 59, and transferred from the belt through a wired cutting frame by a second pusher mechanism. This second mechanism comprises a series of individual pushers 69, each aligned with a space between the wires of the cutting frame, which pushers are carried by a bar 23 reciprocable over the belt 12 along rails 62 by means of a piston 63. There are a series of gates 59 (59a-59c), the appropriate one of which is chosen according to the dimension of the lengths 13 and the number of bricks to be formed. The cut lengths are transferred in batches to the table, upon which they are spaced, by a reciprocating conveyer. The conveyer comprises a puller member 107, 111 pivoted at 108 to a carriage which is reciprocable by a suitable chain drive 13. In operation the carriage is forwarded and the member 107, 111 lowered by piston 109 to engage behind a stack, the carriage then being retracted to position the stack upon the spacing table. The spacing table 27 (see generally Fig. 4, not shown) comprises individual slats 28, on which the lines of individual bricks of the batch of cut lengths are located, which slots are slidable from a closed position to an open position, in which the lines are spaced. The slats are actuated by means of pistons 29, one of which pivotally engages each of the outermost side slats, the individual slats, except the two innermost, being connected together by lost-motion mechanisms comprising straps 92. The two innermost slats 28a carry pins 96 which run in slots 94 in the end members 86. In operation, when the pistons are actuated to open the table, the slats are sequentially moved outward, starting from the side slats, this continuing until the pins of slats 28a engage the end of slots 94. The batches of spaced bricks are removed from the table by an overhead lifting device comprising a head 121 carrying dependent expansible members 124 which are alignable with the spaces between the lines of bricks. Each member comprises a centre-piece 126 sealingly engaged by an elastic diaphragm stretched thereover, the diaphragm being inflatable through ducts 134 and 138 by means of compressed air from manifolds 133. The head is first lowered so that the members 124 are located between the bricks, the members then being inflated and the head raised to remove the gripped bricks from the table. The bricks are then deposited upon a kiln truck (not shown) upon which a stack of bricks is built. The head may be rotated through 90 degrees so that alternate layers of the stack are disposed at right angles.